Kim Hyung-seok, the newly appointed director of the Independence Hall of Korea, is facing increasing criticism for remarks that are seen as distorting history and glorifying Tokyo’s imperial past.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) demanded, Friday, that President Yoon Suk Yeol cancel Kim’s appointment. They cited his past remarks justifying Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea and praising those who collaborated with the Japanese authorities during the occupation. The DPK also pledged to organize a rally to denounce Kim’s appointment.
“Kim has made absurd remarks in the past, saying that pro-Japanese acts should not be equated with anti-national acts and the Japanese colonial rule contributed to modernizing Korean society,” Rep. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the DPK, said in a Supreme Council meeting, Friday.
“Kim’s appointment is an insult to our national pride. The director of the Independence Hall of Korea is a key post that honors the spirit of Korea’s independence movement.”
Rep. Hwang Un-ha, floor leader of minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP), also voiced worries about Kim’s appointment.
“Appointing an extreme rightist to the director of the Independence Hall of Korea is a huge insult to Koreans. We will submit a resolution to the 토토 National Assembly demanding President Yoon to withdraw Kim’s appointment,” Hwang said, Friday. The RKP added that it will not attend a National Liberation Day event, organized by the government, in show of protest.
Kim has also faced backlash from organizations connected to the Korean independence movement, such as the Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI) and the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities. These groups accuse Kim of being a “new right” figure.
The “new right” movement denies the legitimacy of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the independence movement, while praising Syngman Rhee as the founding father of the country.
The HKI announced it would not attend a luncheon, hosted by Yoon, for those who devoted themselves to Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule and their families on the occasion of National Liberation Day.
Amid the backlash, Kim said he will focus on restoring the reputation of pro-Japanese collaborators who he believes were wrongfully accused of being traitors.
“I realized that the pro-Japanese biographical dictionary contains some errors. Some have been falsely accused of being pro-Japanese collaborators due these errors,” Kim said during a press conference, Thursday.